Summertime can be a great time to hold a family reunion. A successful reunion takes preparation.

Here are some tips to help you get prepared:

Make sure all family members are invited ahead of time. It is good to have the next years Reunion announced at the upcoming Reunion. Most people who work have to give several months notice to get off in the summer. Also, this is helpful for those out of town relatives who wish to make travel arrangements ahead of time.

Make any copies you may wish to share with others. This can include pictures, pedigrees, family group sheets, stories, and CD’s.

Take advantage of any Elderly relatives and interview them. You NEVER know if they will be at the next reunion.

This would be a great time to collect those great family recipes!

A great idea is making a slide show of photos (especially old pictures!)

Have a Guest Book to write special messages and update addresses.

Give out Certificates to the oldest, youngest, who traveled the most distance, who has the most children, who baked the best chicken, who has attended the most reunions, who has the most grandchildren, AND
The Genealogy Award (to that family researcher in the bunch!)

Have Games set up for the small kids

Have Family T-Shirts made up

Have a Family Talent Show or Family Skits

If planned ahead of time, plan a reunion on a Cruise. I have been on a Cruise and seen other families there participating in a Reunion Cruise. They are all having the best time doing all the fun activities there as a group. They are all laughing, dancing and the small kids are having a blast in the children’s program!

Singing Time: Have some music sheets to hand out with words.

Important Suggestion! Have your Group Pictures taken in the middle of reunion instead of the beginning (not everyone may have arrived) and the end (some had to leave early). Also at the end we don’t always look our best after eating and tending to the kids.

Have tables set up to show any hobby or crafts families may have done throughout the year

Have a “Guess Who” time planned ahead of time….

Make a Family Reunion Video

Have a special Memorial to those family members who have passed on since previous reunion

Have someone who has computer skills set up a family webpage or start a family newsletter